(a) The CDE will propose and the Commission shall approve, for each adoption of instructional materials, the organization of IMRs and CREs into review panels, the assignment of instructional materials to be evaluated by each review panel, and the assignment of a facilitator to each review panel.

(b) Each review panel shall be composed of 5 to 15 IMRs and CREs, of which a majority must be IMRs who are teachers, as described in the first sentence of subsection (c) of section 9512, and at least 1 must be a CRE.

(c) Each review panel must evaluate instructional materials according to the SBE adopted content standards, curriculum frameworks, evaluation criteria and social content standards.

(d) At the discretion of the chairperson of the Commission, the chairperson of the Subject Matter Committee involved in the adoption or the Executive Director of the Commission, a CRE or IMR with special expertise may respond to questions raised by review panels to which the CRE or IMR has not been assigned.

(e) Each review panel shall decide which instructional materials to recommend for adoption.

(f) Each review panel shall make recommendations as to edits and corrections that should be made to instructional materials.

(g) Review panels shall not recommend rewrites of instructional materials.

(h) Each review panel is encouraged to reach consensus on recommendations. If necessary, the panel will conduct a vote with a simple majority necessary to put forward a recommendation.

(i) The recommendations of the review panels shall be compiled by the CDE into a document titled “IMR/CRE Report of Findings” that shall be presented to the Commission. At least 10 days before the first meeting of the Commission that follows the issuance of the IMR/CRE Report of Findings, the CDE shall distribute the IMR/CRE Report of Findings to the Commission and post it on its website.

(j) The Commission, the CDE, the SBE, or SBE staff may call upon IMRs and CREs to assist the Commission or the SBE in understanding how instructional materials meet the content standards, curriculum frameworks, evaluation criteria and social content standards. In the event that it is determined that other subject matter experts should be called upon to assist the Commission or the SBE in understanding how instructional materials meet the content standards, curriculum frameworks, evaluation criteria and social content standards, such experts shall have qualifications that are consistent with those for CREs as set forth is section 9512 and shall be appointed by the SBE.